Last week, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued an edict that effectively ended any possibility that Tehran will hold bilateral discussions on issues the U.S. deems vital to diminish Iran's continued threat to the region's stability.

By doing so, the ayatollah undercut statements by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other Iranian officials who have recently indicated progress in potentially dealing with the U.S.

However, Ahmadinejad seemed to ignore Khamenei's edict when he spoke to throngs of Iranians on Sunday during the 34th anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

As thousands gathered in Azadi Square in Tehran, the Iranian president said, "Pull the gun from in front of the Iranian people and I will talk to you in person" -- an indication that he still wants to hold discussions with the Obama administration.

There was no immediate response from the State Department about this latest set of mixed signals.